Feb. 29, 2008
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –The 10th-ranked University of Miami women’s tennis team dropped its Atlantic Coast Conference opener Friday afternoon with a 5-2 loss to No. 20 Florida State at the ScottSpeicherTennisCenter. Sophomore All-American No. 14 Laura Vallverdu won her sixth straight match at the No. 1 position, improving to 12-2 this spring in that spot for UM, but her win came too late as the Seminoles won the first four points to clinch the victory.
After UM lost the doubles point, No. 70 Michaela Kissell snapped her 11-match winning streak to open the spring season with a 6-1, 6-2 loss to Carolin Walter at No. 3. FSU’s No. 46 Katie Rybakova would follow with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 win over No. 80 Romy Farah before the Seminoles clinched the win at No. 6 when Federica Suess edged out Gina Sabatino, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.
“As a team, we need to become much tougher,” head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “This program was built on toughness, both mentally and physically, and lately we have been extremely inconsistent in that area.”
With the loss, Miami drops to 7-3 overall and 5-3 against ranked opponents while FloridaState improves to 9-1 on the season, with all nine wins coming on its home court.
In addition to Vallverdu’s win at No. 1, Caren Seenauth picked up UM’s other point with a 7-6 (1), 6-4 victory over Ania Rynarzewska at No. 5 before FSU’s Jessica Wente closed out the match with a close 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) win over No. 62 Bianca Eichkorn.
“I’m disappointed in today’s match,” Yaroshuk-Tews added. “We had a few bright spots in the line-up but as a team, we didn’t show up ready to battle. Losing is one thing, but having a program out-compete you is unacceptable in my book.”
FSU won the first two doubles matches at No. 2 and No. 3 to take the early 1-0 lead over the `Canes. UM’s No. 35 team of Vallverdu and Farah however were able to pick up their ninth win as a pair this spring with an 8-6 victory over FSU’s top duo of Tapiwa Marobela and Ania Rynarzewska.
The Hurricanes will now return to Coral Gables and begin preparation for their first ACC home weekend, March 7-9. UM will play host to No. 24 Clemson Friday, March 7 at 12 p.m. before the `Canes battle No. 2 Georgia Tech Sunday, March 9 at 12 p.m.
No. 20 FloridaState 5, No. 10 Miami 2
Singles
1. No. 14 Laura Vallverdu (UM) def. Lauren Macfarlane (FSU), 7-6 (4), 6-3
2. No. 46 Katie Rybakova (FSU) def. No. 80 Romy Farah (UM), 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
3. Carolin Walter (FSU) def. No. 70 Michaela Kissell (UM), 6-1, 6-2
4. Jessica Wente (FSU) def. No. 62 Bianca Eichkorn (UM), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4)
5. Caren Seenauth (UM) def. Ania Rynarzewska (FSU), 7-6 (1), 6-4
6. Federica Suess (FSU) def. Gina Sabatino (UM), 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 6*, 1, 5, 4
Doubles
1. No. 35 Laura Vallverdu/Romy Farah (UM) def. Tapiwa Marobela/Ania Rynarzewska (FSU), 8-6
2. Carolin Walter/Katie Rybakova (FSU) def. Caren Seenauth/Bianca Eichkorn (UM), 8-1
3. Jessica Wente/Lauren Macfarlane (FSU) def. Gina Sabatino/Michaela Kissell (UM), 8-5
Order of Finish: 2, 3*, 1